Wednesday, 30 September 2015

The Japanese opening sequence for this year's Lupin III anime, the first new television series in three decades to star the titular character, debuted online before its October 1 premiere in Japan. The sequence features a new 2015 version of the classic "Theme From Lupin III" song by original composer Yuji Ohno.

Text: My name is Lupin IIILupin: I'm stealing back what's already been stolen, that's all.Jigen: Word of advice, pointing a gun at me is...Goemon: Until I've paid back my debt, I will protect you.Fujiko: Which do you prefer?Zenigata: I won't let you get away until I die, Lupin!Rebecca: Because I'm your wife! I'm Mrs. Lupin!Lupin: Lupin IIILupin: I'll take what I claim!

The story of the new series takes place in Italy and San Marino, and it features a blue-jacketed Lupin in his 20s. The series open with an invitation to Lupin's wedding to a new character named Rebecca (played by Yukiyo Fujii).

Rebecca is the young president of a conglomerate based in the Republic of San Marino, the story's setting. She has also worked as a model and an actress, and has become an international "gossip queen" due to rumors of affairs with many celebrities. She has an independent wild streak, as well as a secret she cannot tell anyone. Another new character, Nyx (Shunsuke Sakuya), is an ace spy with a license to kill for MI6, the real-life Secret Intelligence Service of the British Government.

Tomonaga noted that the Lupin III anime that his generation watched four decades ago was completely different from the previous anime aimed at children. He added that it had a very huge impact on the diehard adult fanbase. For the generation that already experienced that amazement as well as the generation unaware of those days, Tomonaga wants to make an exciting animation that is realistic yet sprinkled with fantastic elements. Furthermore, he wants to depict a Lupin in which conflicting elements coexist — hard-boiled yet comical, cool yet tongue-in-cheek.

The 24-episode anime premiered as Lupin III - L'avventura Italiana on Italian television on theItalia 1 channel on August 29. It will premiere on Japanese late-night television on NTV and other stations on Thursday, October 1 at 26:40 (effectively Friday, October 2 at 2:40 a.m.)

Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu's magic swords are available as gashapon prizes this month. The miniature version of Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu's Escudo swords, as well as their magical mascot Mokona, are available as keychains. Each measures about 80mm (about 3in).

Hikaru's first sword

Hikaru's sword's final version

Umi's sword

Fuu's sword

Mokona

Magic Knight Rayearth is celebrating a revival this year as part of its 20th anniversary. Other goods include sword pens, charms, and prize figures.

Unbeknownst to mankind the world is quietly being invaded. Alien beings known as “Parasytes” begin infiltrating humans one by one, burrowing into their brains to take complete control of both their bodies and their identities. With an insatiable hunger for human flesh these cold and calculating creatures mutate into grotesque monsters who feed on the unsuspecting when they're not hiding behind the faces of everyday people. Only Shinichi Izumi, a lone high school boy, is aware of the terror lurking in plain sight. After one Parasyte's attempt to take over his brain ends in failure, Shinichi's right arm is instead possessed by this monster with a mind and an agenda all its own. As Shinichi and his unwanted cohabitant, “Migi,” struggle for dominance of his body, the alien infection continues to grow and so does the trail of bodies in its wake. Now Shinichi and Migi must become more than host and parasite if they hope to not only protect themselves, but Shinichi's loved ones as well. As Shinichi and Migi's symbiotic bond deepens, will Shinichi be able to hold on to his humanity, or will he evolve into something more than he ever imagined?

The BBC have released publicity imagery for the forthcoming episode,Under The Lake.

Under The Lake: synopsis

When an Underwater Base comes under attack, the Doctor and Clara must save the frightened crew and defeat an impossible threat. But what is behind these terrifying events? And can they really be haunted by ghosts?

Tuesday, 29 September 2015

Toeifiled an application on September 7 to trademark 'Dōbutsu Sentai Jūōger' (Animal Sentai Jūōger) in Japan. Toei has yet to announce next year's entry — the 40th one — in the long-running ToeiSuper Sentai Series.

The 39th Super Sentai Series show, Shuriken Sentai Nin'ninger, premiered on February 22. The series also received a film titled Shuriken Sentai Nin'ninger The Movie: Kyōryū Tono-sama Appare Ninpōchō!, which opened in Japan on August 8.

Konami UK Community Manager Graham Day stated in an interview with the Game On website that "the Metal Gear brand will continue." When asked if the series could continue without series creator Hideo Kojima, Day replied, "Yeah, of course it can." He cites Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance—an action game developed by Platinum Games—as an example of a game in the series developed by a separate team.

An anonymous source within Konami claimed in March thatHideo Kojima would leaveKonami after completing Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, with Kojima's contract with Konamiallegedly ending in December. Konamistated later that same month that Kojima Productions and other internal companies have had their names changed as part of Konami's restructuring.

The phrase "A Hideo Kojima Game" was also removed from the game titles on Konami America's Metal Gear Solid page and when Konamirestructured in March, Kojima was no longer listed as the "Executive Content Officer" of Konami.

Kojima previously stated that he will consider Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain as the lastMetal Gear Solid title.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain shipped for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC in the United States and Europe on September 1, followed by Japan on September 2.

The official website for Sailor Moon's 20th anniversary teasedon Monday that there is a new project in the works, in addition to the just announced third Sailor Moon Crystal anime season. The website will provide more information on both the new project and the third Crystal season later.

Besides the new project and third Crystal season, the firstCrystal season on the Dark Kingdom arc will re-air on the Tokyo MX station, starting on October 5 at 11:00 p.m.

Naoko Takeuchi's original magical girl manga inspired an earlier anime incarnation that aired for five seasons from 1992 to 1997. That television anime from two decades ago spawned several feature films and theatrical shorts as well. A string of popular stage musicals ran from 1993 to 2005, and a new all-female musical production helped launched the franchise's 20th anniversary in 2013. The third musical in the current revival just ended its Tokyo run on Sunday, and like the upcoming third Crystal season, it covered the Death Busters arc.

Composer Michiaki Watanabe (also known as Chumei Watanabe) was born in 1925, survived the second World War, and studied Psychology at the prestigious University of Tokyo under composers Ikuma Dan and Saburo Moroi. With his degree in hand, Watanabe returned to Nagoya where few would guess he'd lead a life creating music for children's special-effects television series and mecha anime like Mazinger Z, much less at the age of 90.

However, Watanabe is still working hard. His 90th birthday was last month and a commemorative concert was held in his honor at Sakura Hall in Shibuya Cultural Center Owada in Shibuya, Tokyo. The composer remarked while looking back on his work that he almost declined the offer to work on Jinzou Ningen Kikaida. He presumed a children's show would need childish music. The show's producer told him otherwise.

"I kept in mind that I would not compose childish music even if the target of the dramas was children. That's why people in their 40s and 50s still listen to my songs and sing them at karaoke. I'm really pleased," Watanabe said.

He made his debut as a composer for a radio drama produced by the Central Japan Broadcasting Company in the 1950s. For the next 20 years, Watanabe would work with TOHO regularly on film soundtracks while improving his craft under the likes of jazz musician Sadao Watanabe. This would have a large effect on Watanabe's compositions. He introduced brass instruments when he created "Theme of Z" for Mazinger Z, also using an analog synthesizer. The combination was considered unique to 1970s listeners' ears.

Doctor Who The Magician's Apprenticehas an official consolidated 7 day rating of6.54 millionviewers.The rating issued by theBroadcasters' Audience Research Board, or BARB, includes all those who watched the programme within one week of transmission.The final rating is slightly down on last year, where the majority of the season rated around 6.9 million viewers.The rating puts Doctor Who at the13thmost watched programme of the week on all UK Television, and the 4th most watched programme on BBC One.The Great British Bake Offtopped the charts with a consolidated audience of 12.35 million viewers, over 2 million higher than its nearest rival, ITV'sDownton Abbey, which had 9.9 million viewers.The figures do not include those who watched on the BBC iPlayer, where The Magician's Apprentice had over1.3 milliondownload requests in the week following transmission.

Monday, 28 September 2015

LOVERIN TAMBURIN guitarist Akihiro Nagao reported on Saturday that he and his band were barred from entering the United States last Friday, and could not attend their scheduled performance at Anime Weekend Atlanta.

Guitarist Fujio Ryo explained the details of the situation on his blog. He explained that the band had inquired to the United States embassy in Japan many times about acquiring a visa, but the embassy had supposedly stated that they could not issue a visa, and that the band did not need one due to "cultural exchange." However, upon arriving at Pearson Airport in Toronto, airport authorities allegedly escorted guitarist Matsuda Fire to a separate room to inquire about his visa, explaining that because Matsuda Fire was going to Atlanta on business, he needed a work visa.

The band was turned back at the airport and had to book a flight back to Japan. The group arrivedback in Japan on Saturday.

LOVERIN TAMBURIN was scheduled to perform at Anime Weekend Atlanta, which ran from September 24 to 27.

LOVERIN TAMBURIN is composed of the vocalist Aya, pianist and programmer Akihiro Nagao, guitarists Ryō Fujio and Fire, and drummer Kōta Igarashi. They have performed theme songs for such anime as Disgaea ("Aishitageru") and Nanatsuiro Drops ("mo.o!"). The group released its I say you say album in 2012.

With the help of Anime Limited there will be a special event taking place during the weekend of MCM London Comic Con in October, specifically on Saturday 24th October, with MCM Loves Anime. Taking place at The Crystal, just a stones throw away from Excel London, MCM Loves Anime will be an event taking place separate to MCM London Comic Con, so you won't need a Comic Con ticket to be a part of it, where there will be four screenings of anime across the day.

Today we are delighted to announce that one of those screenings will be a double bill that sees the UK Theatrical Premiere of Gundam: The Origin I: Blue-Eyed Casval followed by the World Premiere of Gundam: The OriginII: Artesia's Sorrow... Representatives from Sunrise will be coming to London and following the World Premiere ofGundam: The Origin II: Artesia's Sorrow there will be a post-screening talk that will include some exciting news for UK Gundam fans.

In total that there will be four screenings across the day at MCM Loves Anime, one of them is the Gundam double bill that includes the World Premiere, and while I can't share details on what the other screenings may be just yet, I will say one of them may involve ‘Love’ and might make people quite lively.

Ticket information for this event will be posted early this coming week. But we encourage you to keep an eye on cinema.AllTheAnime.com, as that is the hub site for the event. We will keep people updated with postings here at our blog and through our social media channels.

We want to stress that MCM Loves Anime is separate event to MCM London Comic Con being handled by Anime Limited. So you will need to purchase tickets to this MCM Loves Anime event to gain entry to it. However tickets will be priced keeping in mind that people will already be attending MCM London Comic Con or will be travelling in to attend MCM Loves Anime.

At the MCM Scotland Comic Con, Andrew Partridge of Anime Limited announced that the world premiere of the second episode of Gundam: The Origin will screen in London on Saturday October 24. UK Anime Networkreports that 'a venue close to the ExCeL in London' will host the screening, and there will be other screenings through the day, including the first Gundam: The Originepisode.

Gundam: The Origin adapts Yoshikazu Yasuhiko's manga of the same name, which in turn is inspired by the first Mobile Suit Gundam anime's story. The first episode, titled "Blue-Eyed Casval," premiered in a limited engagement in Japanese theaters on February 28. The second episode is called "Artesia's Sorrow," and is set three years after the first series in U.C. 0071. The story concerns the tearful separation of the siblings Casval and Artesia (before they became known as Char and Sayla). It will also feature more of the development of the mobile suits, particularly on the Zeon side.

One summer day, an average fifth-grade kid named Nathan Adams, comes across a strange old capsule vending machine in the mountains. He puts in a coin and opens a sealed rock capsule that emerges to discover... it's actually a Yo-kai named, Whisper!

Whisper, a self-proclaimed "Yo-kai butler," gives him a Yōkai Watch that lets him see hidden Yo-kai all over the world. Once he befriends a Yo-kai, they give him a Yo-kai Medal that he can use to summon them when Nate needs help. Nate soon finds himself calling upon his Yo-kai friends to solve life's everyday problems.

The English dub of the anime will premiere on the American television channel Disney XD on October 5 at 5:00 p.m. ET/PT. New episodes will first run every day until October 9, and then the series will run every week on Mondays at 5:00 p.m. Each episode will also be available on the WATCH Disney XD streaming service one day after its television premiere.

The website Zap2it is listing an episode of Yōkai Watch on Canadian television channel Teletoon for Saturday, October 3 at 2:00 p.m.

The anime's official English website began streaming a trailer with an English theme song in June. Along with the previously posted trailer, Animation Magazine is also streaming two clips from the anime.

Yōkai Watch centers on a boy who gets a special watch that lets him befriend and help mischievous Yo-kai and later summon them to fight other Yo-kai. Players can overcome challenges and help various characters solve everyday problems with the help of Yo-kai friends. These eccentric Yo-kai resemble anything from inanimate objects to mythical creatures.

Game developer Level-5 announced the Yōkai Watchfranchisein 2011 with a game, manga, and anime already planned. Thefranchise's first game for the Nintendo 3DS debuted in Japan in July 2013, and the animepremiered in January 2014. The latests game in the franchise, a third version of Yōkai Watch 2 andYōkai Watch Busters, shipped in December and July, respectively. Yōkai Watch 3 will follow next summer. Bandai sells Yōkai Watch toys and game tie-in medals in Japan.